Post a Day in May For Mental Health Awareness – May 22 – Bring Change to Mind

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Bring Change to Mind is a nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging dialogue about mental health, and to raising awareness, understanding, and empathy.

Actress & activist Glenn Close co-founded Bring Change to Mind in 2010 after her sister, Jessie Close, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and her nephew, Calen Pick, with schizoaffective disorder.

Every individual who speaks out inspires another. And another. That’s how we’ll end the stigma around mental illness. That’s how we’ll Bring Change to Mind…

Get The Facts

One of the best ways you can help someone with mental illness is by understanding what it is – and what it isn’t. After all, myths about mental illnesses contribute to stigma, which in turn prevents those who are living with one from seeking help.

Bring Change to Mind – Guiding Principles and Beliefs

Start the Conversation – Opening a dialogue about mental illness builds the awareness, understanding, and empathy necessary to inspire the action, structural change, and the creation of new norms which end stigma and discrimination.

Amplify Voices – Our role is to give a voice to others, as their experiences and stories can transform feelings of isolation and despair into feelings of community and hope. These stories will open hearts and minds and change fear and stigma toward people living with mental illness into compassion and support for their journey ahead.

Be an Ally – We are a trusted ally in the conversation about mental illness and openly collaborate with other mental health professionals, academics, resources and advocates to grow this consequential movement.

Empower the Future – The foundation of broad awareness will be built by deeply engaged change agents, such as young people touched by mental illness and motivated to improve the lives of others.

Support Science – Science and evidence-based action is essential to achieving our mission. Therefore, we ground our work in the latest research, which we evaluate for effectiveness then share with confidence.

Fight for Human Rights – Our work is about saving lives, reducing suffering, and ensuring that people living with a mental illness are able to pursue their human potential with dignity, full civil rights, appropriate healthcare, and unbridled access to life’s opportunities.

Choose Your Words (It is Important)

When we say someone is “crazy” or “that’s totally mental” we’re perpetuating stereotypes.

When we say a person is “schizophrenic,” we make their mental illness fully define their complete identity. Instead, be clear that this is a disease that individuals manage and live with, e.g. “he is living with schizophrenia”.

There are many phrases and terms; “crazy,” “nuts”, “psycho”, “schiz”, “retard” and “lunatic” that may seem insignificant, but really aren’t.

While there may be times when it is too challenging or simply not possible to politely correct someone else’s insensitive use of language, you can always watch your own.

I love this next video. Since the video was made the statistics for mental illness have changed. It is now 1 in 5 people have mental illness instead of 1 in 6 as this video states. This video is very powerful and is one of my favorites. For some reason this video makes me emotional. I think it is because it was one of the first videos I saw of this kind. It made me realize that people do care and that there is hope. I saw this video for the first time during one of my many psychiatric hospital stays. I hope you enjoy it. ~Love, Sue

In August of 2009, Grand Central Station became the setting for a massive production, Bring Change 2 Mind’s first Public Service Announcement. Hundreds of principals and extras proudly wore their BC2M t-shirts and started the mental health conversation in the midst of this massive transportation hub. Ron Howard lent his extraordinary talent in directing the spot, and John Mayer donated his song, “Say” as the musical backdrop.

Bring Change 2 Mind (BC2M) launches its second national anti-stigma campaign,Schizo, in May 2013. Featuring the Co-Founder of BC2M Glenn Close, her sister Jessie and her nephew Calen, the PSA has been shown in scientific survey’s to reduce stigmatizing attitudes towards those living with a diagnosis of schizophrenia.

It is crucial and imperative for all of us to get involved and save lives.

So, please visit my blog every day, but especially every day throughout the month of May.

Mental illness awareness and education can save lives.

Opening the dialogue about mental illness can save lives.

Sharing your story can save lives.

Please see my post about my new campaign titled, “There’s Glory in Sharing Your Story.” I need your help and hope you will be interested in participating in my new campaign. Thank you for checking it out.

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Published by my loud whispers of hope

I share my story openly and honestly to educate others and increase the awareness of mental illness, reduce stigma, prevent suicide, to inspire, give hope and let God's love shine through me and touch you.
I finished writing, proofreading and editing my memoir in January of 2019. I am in the process of sending my manuscript to agents and publishers that accept unsolicited maunscripts. I pray my words will turn into a book that will inspire and spark joy and hope in the lives of many. Recovery and healing are possible. I am living proof.
"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you." ~Maya Angelou
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